Projects and initiatives

Since W.O.V.A. (West Oxfordshire Vetka Association) was formed in 2001, we have been involved in a number of projects, which are now coming to fruition.

The 'Goose Project' started in 2002 with 1,200 goslings purchased by WOVA and distributed to villagers at Svetilevichy. This quickly ran into trouble as participants in the project became suspicious of the purpose of the co-operative and the actions of its leaders. Lessons were quickly learned and another goose rearing project started, involving one family on a small farm. This has proved successful and additional support has enabled the purchase of an incubator, which has increased the success rate in hatching eggs and has also helped in the hatching of eggs from the flocks of other families in the village. This project is now self-financing and growing year on year.

Building on the success of the Goose project, an orchard of apple and plum trees has been planted on land at the small family farm; we understand these fruits only absorb a very small amount of radiation. The 2,500 trees have been purchased with the held of funding from, WOVA. Autumn 2006 saw the first small crop of apples from this project.

A 'Polytunnel Project' at Khalch village, close to Vetka, was launched in 2006 with a small grant, applied for and supported by WOVA, from the British Embassy in Minsk. The polytunnel, built on a wooden frame from local forest materials and covered with sheet polythene has resulted in a first year crop of cucumbers, which arrived at market some weeks earlier than normal crops. This has encouraged the smallholder to consider expanding to a second Polytunnel in 2007 financed by the income from the 2006 sale of crops.

Marketing of produce has now become an important issue and members of WOVA are assisting the British Embassy (small grants staff) in monitoring the development of viable outlets for the produce from projects supported by WOVA and those of other nearby projects, to increase and spread the message of sustainable income to the local population.

IMPS (Injury Minimisation Project for Schools), a British based charity has been introduced to Vetka by members of WOVA. The project aims to make children aware of the causes of common injuries in childhood and how by thinking about their actions and play, injuries can be reduced. The project teaches the children the skills of basic life support, mouth-to-mouth and external cardiac massage and the recovery position, together with the knowledge to deal with minor injuries such as burns and scalds, bleeding, choking, electrocution, etc. This project was, at its outset, funded by donations through WOVA and continues to be supported from our funds.

Since 2003 contacts with schools in the Vetka District has resulted in a number of teachers from Belarus coming to West Oxfordshire in their school summer holidays to improve their English language skills. These teachers have then passed on their new skills to their English language pupils. It has also resulted in a base of English speakers to act as translators on visits to Belarus. The teachers have been hosted by members and friends of WOVA when in the UK.

Our 'Tourism Project' is still in its infancy. 2006 saw the first 'official' tourist visit, when a group of 12 people from the UK visited Belarus. They spent time in the capital Minsk and in the rural town of Vetka and surrounding district. When in Vetka, visitors stayed with families in the town and visited many local attractions including the towns Folk Museum, local pottery, weaving school and a recently renovated and rebuilt Russian Orthodox Church. Time was also spent in the forest with the host families at a traditional Belarussian Barbecue - a memory to treasure. Work continues on this project with our partners to build the infrastructure to enable tourists to be attracted to Belarus and particularly the Vetka District, which has much to offer as a tourist destination.